1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elastic member for absorbing a vibration generated from a driving device and a vibration absorbing apparatus employing the elastic member in a compressor of a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a vibration absorbing member having an improved structure for a compressor of a refrigerator which is capable of preventing the vibration generated due to the compressor from being transmitted to other elements or a whole of the refrigerator.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a refrigerator is an apparatus for maintaining foods for a long time period in a fresh and good state. The inside of the refrigerator is always kept below a predetermined temperature by the compressor of the refrigerator.
The compressor is an apparatus for compressing refrigerant to be in a high temperature/high pressure. While the compressor operates, the vibration continues to be generated from the compressor. The generated vibration is transmitted to other elements of the refrigerator connected to the compressor without damping, so that a noisy vibration is generated from the whole of the refrigerator.
In order to prevent this phenomenon, an elastic member is installed between the compressor of the refrigerator and a base pan for supporting the compressor to attenuate a transmittance of the vibration.
Referring to FIG. 1, the compressor (C) is mounted on the vibration absorbing apparatus (M) in a machine room of the refrigerator. Further, the vibration absorbing apparatus is configured to include an elastic member and a base pan.
Here, the elastic member functions to attenuate the vibration generated while the compressor is operated. The base pan is installed on a bottom of the machine room of the refrigerator to support the elastic member.
A procedure of transmitting the vibration generated from the compressor will be described hereinafter.
First, the vibration generated during the operation of the compressor is transmitted to the elastic member through a compressor foot connecting the compressor with the elastic member. After that, the vibration is transmitted in a partially attenuated state, to the whole of the refrigerator through the base pan.
Herein, it is desirable that the elastic member allows the vibration of the compressor to be transmitted to the base pan in the most attenuated state, and the attenuated state of the vibration depends on the material and shape of the elastic member.
Therefore, the conventional vibration absorbing apparatus has a disadvantage in which the material and the shape of the elastic member are preferentially considered for improving a performance of the vibration absorbing apparatus.